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Stoneworts: Their Habitats, Ecological Requirements and Conservation

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Stoneworts: Their Habitats, Ecological Requirements and Conservation Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation Integrated catchment science programme Science report: SC030202 The Environment Agency is the leading public body protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It’s our job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today’s society, so that tomorrow’s generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. Our work includes tackling flooding and pollution incidents, reducing industry’s impacts on the environment, cleaning up rivers, coastal waters and contaminated land, and improving wildlife habitats. This report is the result of research commissioned and funded by the Environment Agency’s Science Programme. Published by: Author: Environment Agency, Rio House, Waterside Drive, Dr Stephen Lambert Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS32 4UD Tel: 01454 624400 Fax: 01454 624409 Dissemination Status: www.environment-agency.gov.uk Publicly available ISBN: 978-1-84911-035-8 Keywords: Stonewort; Charophyte; Algae; Conservation; © Environment Agency – March 2009 Biodiversity; Habitat; Wetland; Restoration; Water © Photographs: Dr Stephen Lambert quality. All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced Research Contractor: with prior permission of the Environment Agency. Dr Stephen Lambert, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ The views and statements expressed in this report are Email: [email protected] those of the author alone. The views or statements expressed in this publication do not necessarily Environment Agency’s Project Manager: represent the views of the Environment Agency and the Debbie Cousins, Thames Region Environment Agency cannot accept any responsibility for such views or statements. Collaborator(s): This report is the result of work jointly funded by the This report is printed on Cyclus Print, a 100% recycled Environment Agency, Plantlife International and the stock, which is 100% post consumer waste and is totally Broads Authority. chlorine free. Water used is treated and in most cases returned to source in better condition than removed. National Stoneworts Recorder: Nick Stewart. Email: [email protected] Further copies of this report are available from: The Environment Agency’s National Customer Contact Science Project Number: Centre by emailing: SC030202 [email protected] or by telephoning 08708 506506. Product Code: SCHO0309BPSD-E-P ii Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation Science at the Environment Agency Science underpins the work of the Environment Agency. It provides an up-to-date understanding of the world about us and helps us to develop monitoring tools and techniques to manage our environment as efficiently and effectively as possible. The work of the Environment Agency’s Science Department is a key ingredient in the partnership between research, policy and operations that enables the Environment Agency to protect and restore our environment. The science programme focuses on five main areas of activity: • Setting the agenda, by identifying where strategic science can inform our evidence-based policies, advisory and regulatory roles; • Funding science, by supporting programmes, projects and people in response to long-term strategic needs, medium-term policy priorities and shorter-term operational requirements; • Managing science, by ensuring that our programmes and projects are fit for purpose and executed according to international scientific standards; • Carrying out science, by undertaking research – either by contracting it out to research organisations and consultancies or by doing it ourselves; • Delivering information, advice, tools and techniques, by making appropriate products available to our policy and operations staff. Steve Killeen Head of Science Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation iii Executive summary Stoneworts, also known as charophytes, are a family of complex-structured algae. They are submerged species that live in a variety of wetland and freshwater or brackish habitats. They derive their common name from the stony external texture that many of the species acquire as a result of encrustation of their outer surface, mainly with calcium carbonate. Stoneworts play a significant role in ecological succession and the community structure of many types of water body. The UK currently supports approximately 30 species. Seventeen of these are currently listed as threatened or endangered in the Red Data Book of British Stoneworts, while 11 are currently listed as priority species on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. This report is a summary of the relevant sections of a PhD thesis carried out at the University of East Anglia. The thesis investigated the limits of environmental tolerances for British stoneworts with particular reference to water quality and rarer species. The main aim of this report is to produce a guide to the habitats, ecological requirements and conservation of British stoneworts. It includes chapters on the structure of stoneworts to help with identification, the critical water quality limits of nitrogen, phosphorus and copper, and examples of practical conservation methods. It is intended for use by anyone who works in conservation or water quality as well as those who manage wetland sites. As a broad guideline, the following are all likely to reduce the probability of stonewort establishment and persistence (Lambert 2007): • Nitrogen in the form of nitrate at concentrations above 0.5 mgl-1 in open water. • Phosphorus as inorganic phosphate at concentrations above 20 µgl-1 in open water. • Copper at concentrations above 50 µgl-1 in the sediment pore water or 100 µgl-1 in open water. The main threats to stonewort establishment and survival are unmanaged succession, particularly by common reed (Phragmites australis), eutrophication, sedimentation and grazing by waterfowl. To slow down succession, particularly by common reed, creating scrapes within the reedbed allows in light and promotes the re-emergence of stoneworts. Regular scraping of ditches that support stoneworts is also good practice, as it allows in light as well as aiding germination by bringing oospores back to the surface. In aggregate sites, conservation methods include creating margins of variable form and gradient, peaks and troughs in the pit bed and submerged islands. Actions to avoid at aggregate sites include planting of common reed, creating islands that attract waterfowl, excessive tree planting on the banks and the addition of topsoil along the margins. This report is designed to remove some of the mystery surrounding stoneworts as a group, and give some simple pointers as to how to conserve current communities and create habitats suitable for new colonisation. iv Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation Acknowledgements Dr Stephen Lambert (University of East Anglia) – researcher and author Professor Anthony Davy (University of East Anglia) – PhD supervisor Funding: The Environment Agency Plantlife International The Broads Authority Editors: Debbie Cousins (The Environment Agency) Professor Anthony Davy (University of East Anglia) Andrea Kelly (Broads Authority) Dominic Price (Plantlife International) Photographs: Dr Stephen Lambert Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation v Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Conservation status and distribution 2 3 Structure and sensitivities 3 4 Reproduction 7 5 Water quality 8 6 Stoneworts' important role in aquatic ecosystems 9 7 Conservation methods 10 8 Conclusion 13 References 14 Glossary 15 vi Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation 1 Introduction Stoneworts (also known as charophytes) are a family of complex-structured algae that live in a variety of wetland and freshwater or brackish habitats. These include disused aggregate sites, fenland ditches, dykes, bog pools, lakes, ponds, highland lochs and even cattle tracks. Stoneworts are submerged species, generally preferring water depths between one and ten metres. The plants derive their common name from the stony external texture that many of the species acquire as a result of encrustation of their outer surface, mainly with calcium carbonate. Stoneworts are found in the following habitats: Disused aggregate pit Calcareous fenland ditch Disused peat digging Ephemeral coastal pond Highland loch Moorland cattle tracks Science Report – Stoneworts: their habitats, ecological requirements and conservation 1 2 Conservation status and distribution Earliest fossil records date back 460 million years, and recent DNA evidence has established stoneworts as close to the precursors of all land plants. Today, globally, there are over 400 species, while the UK supports approximately 30 species. However, since the mid-twentieth century their range has decreased significantly and the number of sites with extant populations has declined by over 60 per cent, due to habitat loss and pollution of both surface and groundwaters. Seventeen species are currently listed as Threatened or Endangered in the Red Data Book of British Stoneworts, while 11 species are currently listed as priority species on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. There are five genera of stoneworts in the UK, living in the following conditions: • Chara: base-rich alkaline waters; species often calcium-encrusted. • Lamprothamnium: coastal lagoons. • Nitella: less
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